Ever Onwards, Ever Forwards
by Tigress in da room
Summary: Tales of the adventures of Lydia and her Dragonborn. From hairraising frights, to terri ble battles,moments of fun to tears of laughter, this fic will cover it all. Fluff, angst, action, and more. Will be self explanatory when gets going. Possible lemons, but not LydiaXDovahkiin.


Ever Onwards, Ever Forwards: Chapter 1: Greetings

The Dragonborn pushed through the heavy doors of Dragonsreach with trepidation. As the mighty eaves yawned above her, she felt nerves settle uneasily in her stomach. Her brightly-shining armour was stained with darkly coloured blood across the shoulder, and there was a row of three gashes across the High Elf's cheek. A few strands of golden hair had fallen loose from the sections she kept twisted back: she brushed them away with a metal-tipped finger. Despite the additional weight of the light plates, her step was light and the floorboards did not make a sound. She could see the Jarl leaning forwards on the edge of his seat, desperate to hear tell of the recently spotted dragon. She stopped before his throne and knelt on one knee as was custom, armour rapping solidly against the wood

Elanin swallowed nervously, and with a voice that cracked slightly from still-pounding adrenaline, stated loud enough for all the various onlookers to hear:

"The dragon lies dead, Sir. Though, there was something that did not fall as its bones clattered…I do not know how to describe it." Her breath came in light gasps, as the run from the watchtower had tired her even more deeply to her slender bones.

"What happened-tell me everything" His deep voice was impatient and unendingly curious.

"A sort of…energy came from the slain dragon sir…it…passed into me. It made me feel…strong, so strong. But heavy and slow too. The men had a word for it…I do not know what it means"

The Jarl's face had gone quite slack at this, and the various servants had stopped their polishing or sweeping to listen intently.

"They said I was…Dragonborn"

A round of gasps and comments of astonishment sounded around the room gently, but carried all the force of a racing herd of horses. Elanin flinched, wondering what she had done wrong or what terrible, incurable disease she had contracted.

A trail of sweat trickled from her brow, and cut a thin line though the dark purple slashes of war-paint that reached from her fine nose to the tips of her perfectly arched brows. Her amber eyes were so tired and frightened also, as if she were to startle at the slightest hint of danger. Her joints twitched randomly too, unable to stay still, her body still twisting and exerting in the heats of battle.

"Dragonborn…There has not been one for many thousands of years…I thought they were just a myth-"

"Please Sir, tell me-can it be cured?" Her interruption was laden with emotion as she strained to keep herself slow and even and steady.

Balgruuf frowned slightly, and rose from his throne. Silence rang in everyone's ears as harshly as the alien dragon had screamed at them from afar.

"It is not a disease Elanin. Many would consider it a great gift, others a curse. Even more may consider it just another burden to bear, but most would simply run from it. To be Dragonborn is to have the body of a mortal, but the soul of a dragon. It is…potential. Potential for greatness"

Her eyes darted quickly from face to face, though each was unreadable in its measures of expression. The corners of her brows turned up ever so slightly in a mixture of confusion and desperation.

"I-I do not know what to say-"

"Say nothing. We know enough. This is why I hereby name you Thane of Whiterun, as a protector, advocate and ambassador for my city. It is the highest honour I can grant you, and as such, you will bear the mighty Axe of Whiterun in our names"

He waved a young page boy forwards, and the poor child was staggering under the weight of an enormous weapon wrapped in crisp linen. The Jarl took it from him and removed the wrappings, then knelt to place it in Elanin's hands that had opened with flat palms to receive the gift. She blinked at it in surprise, almost weary of it.

"You also have my permission to buy property in the city. Breezehome is a fine dwelling, and I would hope that should you choose to settle, it be here"

And as quickly as that, everyone filtered from the hall, except the Jarl and his attendants who moved aside and talked amongst themselves. Elanin rose shakily from her kneel, and tilted the axe a little to change how the light fell on it. The keen edge of the dual-bladed steel winked in the firelight, and embers of purple lightning wound their way up the knotted scrollwork of the handle. She moved one hand closer to the blades and the other further down the wood, feeling the weight balance and settle perfectly.

She turned a little in bewilderment. Where was she supposed to go now?

In an almost dreamlike state, she turned and began limping back down the steps. Her exit was all but unnoticed as the Jarl continued to plot and plan and discuss. Lydia followed the Dragonborn with her eyes for a moment until she realized what was happening.

With a quick burst of movement, she belted down the stairs, arrows rattling in their quiver at her back. Just before the Elf pushed her way through the heavy doors to go who knows where, Lydia grasped her shoulder and turned her slightly. Elanin flinched at the touch, undoubtedly feeling the firm stop as the wrenching claws of the dragon.

"Please, my Thane, wait"

Elanin blinked again, still struggling to place herself in the waking world.

Curiosity sparked in her eyes, but she otherwise remained silent. The Dragonborn flicked her gaze to the Jarl, but then settled once more on the woman before her.

Lydia panted slightly and stood a little taller, also flicking her gaze to the Jarl who nodded in their direction and turned to his courtiers once more.

"I'm Lydia, your Housecarl"

"What is a Housecarl?"

She frowned slightly. This word was unknown to her, much like Dragonborn.

Lydia smiled slightly and shook the disorientated Elf's gauntleted hand.

"A Housecarl is someone who protects you, fights beside you, shares your burdens. I'll follow you to wherever you may go, and do whatever you ask. I would give my life for you Thane"

Elanin's brows twitched slightly in confusion. She had no idea really who this Lydia was, yet she was willing to lay down her life to protect her. It was quite a hefty thing to have in mind.

"I…I do not know where my travels will take me. The way could be fraught with danger…I have even been contacted by beings people call "Daedra"; I do not know what it means. There could be anything out there to fight us, so tell me: Would you still waste your time following me when you could be doing things more worth your time?"

Lydia flinched slightly at the word "Daedra" but otherwise remained immovable.

"With all due respect Thane, I would have nothing to if not be your Housecarl…ever since I was but a girl I wanted to see the world and the Jarl told me there would be no better way to do that than to follow his Thane. If you would allow me, of course"

For the first time since Lydia had seen her, Elanin smiled warmly.

The motion lit up her face and made her seem ready to face anything, no matter the price.

"There is an Altmer phrase for such times as these: _Nihala ak te ro kee, et'sa maralla, et'sa maralle. _I will run with you, ever onwards, ever forwards. I accept"

Lydia nodded simply. They pushed through the doors of Dragonsreach together. Elanin was comforted a little. She had never had someone to be a friend to her before: Now she would not have to run alone.

And that was something at least.

**AN: So this is just going to be a collection of drabbles about the Dovahkiin and Lydia. Won't have too much of an underlying story and I can't guarantee updates regularly, but I'm open to suggestions. Probably gonna be fluff, angst, action etc along the way. May be a few chapters written in multiple parts, but otherwise gonna be about this kind of length. **

**Reviews Welcome,**

**Tigress in Da Room**


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